The NY Glory Years

[NYGiantsFan2324]

The Museum of the City of NY has announced a future exhibit on the so-called "Glory Years of NY Baseball" - 1947 to 1957.

Here is the link:

http://www.mcny.org/sidebars/333.html

During each year of that 11-year span, at least one of the three NY teams appeared in the World Series. That time frame also corresponds to the ML career of Jackie Robinson (through 1956) and the (then long-overdue) breaking of the Color line in the Major Leagues (although the Red Sox did not place a Black ballplayer on their ML roster until 1959 (Pumpsie Green, I believe).

[The Real McCoy]

During each year of that 11-year span, at least one of the three NY teams appeared in the World Series.

Close, but in '48 Cleveland beat the Boston Braves in six; last time a player/manager won the Series.

[NYGiantsFan2324]

I don't know how I managed to mis-read the 1948 WS participants. Of course, I was only 3-years old then!

And, yes, I, too, was crest-fallen when the Giants foolishly abandoned NY - taking the Great Willie Mays with them.

Why I did not then - or ever - re-direct my loyalties to the Yankees (or to the Mets) has always mystified me! And I lived in the Bronx! As a matter of fact, by the time the Giants (and Dodgers) left NY, I was able to take public transportation on my own (sans parents) and travel to Yankee Stadium on a regular basis, mainly for Sunday doubleheaders. I did that a lot, but never became a Yankees fan. When the Mets entered the NL, I got a chance to seem my Giants again. The first game was June 1, 1962. The Giants won and Willie Mays homered. I have never even thought of not being a Giants fan.

[The Real McCoy]

We can certainly agree on the wonderousness of Willie Mays as a ballplayer, but, of course, I was able to resist rooting for the Giants despite living under my dad's roof; he being one of 57 card carrying Giant fans (why didn't Joe McCarthy go after something really subvervise) in the borough of Brooklyn in the '50s.

I consider Mays the best ballplayer I ever saw. However, I didn't see Cobb or Wagner or Gerhrig or Ruth (who, if I may be permitted a sematic dispensation, I think was the best to ever play the game.....no one ever pitched and then played an everyday position like he did). My dad, who saw Mays in the 50's, agreed that "he was a great player, but Joe Jackson was just a bit better." I often wondered, still do, if the fact that my father watched baseball for 40 years and for 30 of those all the players were as white as the ball had any influence on his thinking. I hope not.

Of course, we all harbor our prejudices. Mine made me a fan of the Cleveland Browns. I simply could never bring myself to root for any team, in any sport, that carried the Giants name. On the plus side, I got to root for the "Willie Mays of running backs."

[rigney]

Hi, all Giants fans!
We have schmoozing dinners 3X a year in Riverdale, N.Y. It is free.
Nice bunch of guys, many with great stories. Join us!:gt
Write me at healthbul@msn.com
Rigney
718-548-5486.



The Museum of the City of NY has announced a future exhibit on the so-called "Glory Years of NY Baseball" - 1947 to 1957.

Here is the link:

http://www.mcny.org/sidebars/333.html

During each year of that 11-year span, at least one of the three NY teams appeared in the World Series. That time frame also corresponds to the ML career of Jackie Robinson (through 1956) and the (then long-overdue) breaking of the Color line in the Major Leagues (although the Red Sox did not place a Black ballplayer on their ML roster until 1959 (Pumpsie Green, I believe).

[mandrake]

OK, a NY team was not in the 48 WS, but a NY team won every game from 1949 thru 1956. 5 games in '49' ;4 games in'50; 6 games in '51; 7 games in '52; 6 games in '53; 4 games in '54; 7 games in '55; 7 games in '56. If my math is correct, 46 straight games in the WS won by a NY team. THIS RECORD will never be broken

[mandrake]

; he being one of 57 card carrying Giant fans (why didn't Joe McCarthy go after something really subvervise) in the borough of Brooklyn in the '50s.

Of course, we all harbor our prejudices. Mine made me a fan of the Cleveland Browns. I simply could never bring myself to root for any team, in any sport, that carried the Giants name. "

My dad was a die hard Dodger fan who also loved the Cleveland Browns. I think he resented the fact the the Dodger football team folded when he was away in WWII. He came back from the Pacific to find that the Dodgers had jumped from the NFL to the AAFC, and then went under. He became a Browns fan when they merged into the NFL. He was a cop near the Polo Grounds in the 50's and used to go in and see some games. He loved the Polo grounds for football, but says it was horrible for baseball.

How many people recall that on Dec 7, 1941 the Giants and Dodgers had a sell out crowd of 56,000 when the announcement was made for all 'military personel to report to their base' ?

As for baseball Giants fans in Brooklyn, we lived in Greenpoint and my parents said it was loaded with Giants fans. Some of the Giants players used to know the owner of the tavern on the corner where we lived and they used to drop by the place. And this was in Brooklyn, on the corner of Manhattan Ave and Greenpoint Ave.

Remember, Joe Torre grew up a Giants fan in the neighborhood too.

[MSUlaxer27]

OK, a NY team was not in the 48 WS, but a NY team won every game from 1949 thru 1956. 5 games in '49' ;4 games in'50; 6 games in '51; 7 games in '52; 6 games in '53; 4 games in '54; 7 games in '55; 7 games in '56. If my math is correct, 46 straight games in the WS won by a NY team. THIS RECORD will never be broken

Yanks won game 1 of the '57 series as well.

[yanks0714]

How many people recall that on Dec 7, 1941 the Giants and Dodgers had a sell out crowd of 56,000 when the announcement was made for all 'military personel to report to their base' ?


I assume you were not talking about a baseball game on December 7.

[rcl986@aol.com]

I assume you were not talking about a baseball game on December 7.

On December 7, 1941, the Brooklyn Football Dodgers beat the New York Football Giants 21-7 before a crowd of 55,051 at the Polo Grounds. Following the announcement of the attack many service men attending the game left immediately to report back to their units. I've often wondered what the crowd numbered at the end of the game.